Composition

[woodsac]

When you're composing your photos, do you generally try and take exactly what it is you see *right then*? Or do you leave a little room for error by shooting wider and crop the photo after you see it?

And this is just in general. I know there are times when you want to be 'dead on', especially with those macro shots. But for like landscapes, cityscapes, buildings, etc.

 

[bace]

I usually shoot what I see, I never really think about editing my work when I take the shots.

Although...that is a good idea I suppose...

 

[SLOShooter]

Most shots I try and leave a little border. Just because the aspect ration I print is rarely the aspect ratio of the original so some cropping is always required.

 

[hammy]

I always try to frame and make my shot perfect right then. But sometimes of course, cropping afterwards is necessary. Whatever works.

 

[Hertz van Rental]

No 35mm camera or DSLR gives you 100% in the viewfinder. At best what you see is only 95% of what gets recorded. There is always a bit around the edge that has stuff in it you didn't see so some 'trimming' is usualy required.

 

[lazarus219]

I try and be careful and get it exactly right, not a fan of photoshop (although i do use it)

When i start printing i might put consideration into printing, but right now i shoot for what i see in the viewfinder,

 

[Bosscat]

With racing photos I try to do as much in camera cropping as possible, so that if i get a great print, and want to make a huge enlargement the quality will be better then if the subject is quite tiny.

 

[Alison]

I try to leave a little for a saftey margin. Cropping in PS is no different than cropping from a negative but I try to have the basic feel of the photo and where I want the subject placed done in camera.

 

[LizM]

Cropping is my friend.

 

[darin3200]

I tend to leave a little space around the outside. You need to have space around the outside because the picture will be cropped if you try to go to 8x10.

 

[Marctwo]

If it's something that's relatively still then I'll pretty much compose the shot in the VF.

But if it's something that's moving around quite a bit then I'm happy just to get it in the frame; Very happy if it's in the right part of the frame.

 

[Dave_D]

No 35mm camera or DSLR gives you 100% in the viewfinder. At best what you see is only 95% of what gets recorded. There is always a bit around the edge that has stuff in it you didn't see so some 'trimming' is usualy required.

If I may correct you....

There are a few 35mm cameras that are 100% thru view. Nikon F3, F4, F5, F6 are among them. These I know for certain as they are what I use. There are other makes I have heard of in particular models only; I'm not sure of them off the top of my head.
It is nice to know if you camera will give you 100% or not if you composition is giving you constraint problems so, you may want to findout what you have. And as others have said, it is more of a situational issue. Part of good technique is seeing your shot and knowing if you need to add crop compensation or not when composing.